NRA-ILA’s Chris Cox In National Journal

In a Wednesday Q&A in the National Journal, NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox said having President Donald Trump in the White House has completely changed the landscape for America’s gun owners.

“You’ve changed the fun­da­ment­al ap­proach to the Second Amend­ment at the top with the pres­id­ent,” he said. “Pres­id­ent Trump is an un­apo­lo­get­ic sup­port­er, and the first sit­ting pres­id­ent since Re­agan in 1983 to ad­dress our an­nu­al meet­ing.”

Cox also said that widespread support for gun rights among Americans puts NRA in a very strong position.

“Our data shows [sup­port for] the goals of the NRA, the rights of law-abid­ing people to keep and own fire­arms for self-de­fense, from a voter’s stand­point, is over­whelm­ing,” he said. “That’s why you have every­one from Barack Obama to Mi­chael Bloomberg to Chuck Schu­mer say­ing they sup­port the Second Amend­ment, even though they work tire­lessly to un­der­mine it.”

New F&F Report Details Holder Obstruction

A new report from the House Oversight Committee concerning the Fast & Furious scandal is very critical of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder—especially his treatment of the family of slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

Terry was murdered in 2010 by a drug smuggler using one of the 2,000-plus firearms that the Obama administration ATF let “walk” across the border with no way to track them. Most went into the arsenals of violent Mexican drug gangs.

Stating that Holder considered the Terry family, who is still seeking answers, a “nuisance,” the report also said: “More than five years after Brian’s murder, the Terry family still wonders about key details of Operation Fast and Furious,” according to Fox News. It continued, “The Justice Department’s obstruction of Congress’s investigation contributed to the Terry family’s inability to find answers.”

Look for A1F Daily's full analysis of the new F&F report here on Monday.

Mother Fatally Shoots Armed Intruder To Protect Her Children

“I hate to see it happened, but that’s what happens when you go into people’s home trying to take their stuff,” Julius Radcliff told Fox 59 News.

Radcliff is the neighbor of a young mother who fatally shot an intruder to defend her children on Wednesday. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reports the mother heard someone breaking into her apartment—and, when investigating, came face to face with a strange man holding a gun. However, the mother was also carrying a firearm, and she fired first.

The suspect, 19-year-old Michael Hawkins, was struck fatally in the apartment doorway. The shooting is the second in two days where an Indianapolis parent was forced to fire in self-defense: On Tuesday, a father also killed an invader. The mother and children were unharmed, and neighbors are hoping this means criminals will reconsider a break-in. “You have to defend yourself,” said Janice Taylor. “We have laws for that.”

Permitless Carry Moves Forward In Michigan, North Carolina

The House of Representatives in both Michigan and North Carolina have approved permitless carry legislation, bringing both states one step closer to recognizing that the right to keep and bear arms should be free from government-mandated time delays and taxes.

In North Carolina, HB 746 passed by a 65-54 vote after tremendous pressure from both sides at both the state and national level. The measure would lower the age limit for concealed carry from 21 to 18, and remove the requirement that law-abiding citizens obtain a permit to carry concealed.

A package of bills—HB 4416, HB 4417, HB 4418 and HB 4419—passed in the Michigan House on Wednesday by a vote of 59-49. Together, these measures would remove the requirement to obtain a concealed pistol license, but would retain the current permitting system for those who wish to take advantage of reciprocity agreements with other states.

We will keep you updated as these important pro-gun bills continue to advance.

Bus Carry Ban Rescinded in Dayton, Ohio

Victory for gun owners in Dayton, Ohio! On Tuesday, the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority reversed its policy, and will now allow law-abiding gun owners with a concealed-carry permit to carry on buses and in the public areas of RTA property.

“It’s high time that happened," Doug Deekon, director for Ohioans for Concealed Carry, is quoted as saying in the Dayton Daily News. “They were in violation of state laws.” Deekon’s group and the Buckeye Firearms Association had both protested the RTA ban on guns.

The policy change comes about despite the position held by RTA Chief Executive Officer Mark Donaghy. He’s on the record as saying, “Our highest priority is the safety of our customers and employees. But at this point, given the change in the law, that’s not possible.”

Deekon and gun owners disagreed. “There’s no reason, just because you choose public transportation, that you give up your right to defend yourself,” he said.